


still looking up

by youngerdrgrey



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Season 1
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-24
Updated: 2012-06-24
Packaged: 2017-11-08 11:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/442888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngerdrgrey/pseuds/youngerdrgrey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>s1!AU. He knows that voice. It has haunted him for one thousand years. But it's not possible. Tatia is dead. Katerina had no children. And yet, here she is. Who is this girl? He could ask her. Just one word. One question. That should be enough. E/E Elejah</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. when i look into your eyes

**Author's Note:**

> The formatting of this fic is different than I normally do. You'll notice in a little while that the action/thoughts are all italicized while the dialogue will be normal. It's something I started doing during the writing of this fic, and I feel as if that's as much a part of it as anything else. If you don't like it, and seriously can't handle it, tell me in a review and I can change it for the future chapters where it isn't already written and formatted. For this one, though, it's staying. Give it a chance. FFN folks seem to think the actual words are worth any annoyance you might feel over it. I do not plan on stopping writing, but I will stop posting if other people are not interested, so, please do review if you are.

__

_The rushing sound of a million sirens circles in his skull, blaring louder than the screams of the dying or even the slow dripping of the blood off his fingertips. It circles and ensnares him. Captures him like the beast he is in a cage of sound. He tries to look away from the bodies before him, but how can he? How can a human being not stare at the dismembered fingers and slivers of organs that litter the ground? Somewhere, in one of these bodies, a heart still beats, still pumps blood out only for it pool on the floor. He can't pick out which it is. Every victim is coated in red, a taunting kind like a mirage that calls to him. The song it sings is like a different sort of siren, the sort that makes him hungry despite the way his stomach churns. He forces it back. Not now. He can't do this now. He manages to look away, but he finds another body. One look at this one sends him reeling back, tripping over some nameless man. There's a name on his lips though, on Elijah's. He doesn't know if he says it, only that every other sound and sight and emotion fades away. In place of everything, there is but one word, one name -_

Tatia.

Elijah wakes with a jolt, a shuddering charge ripping through his flesh. He blinks quickly, but the image refuses to disappear. He wonders how it's possible that one thousand years haven't managed to cure the nightmares. If anything, they have only gotten worse. But that is life. The more a person sees, the more they can be tortured with. Elijah has seen a lot. He does not wish to see anymore. Not today. Not after that. In fact, he wants to go back. Being in the place of his death, the place of hers, should help him. Whenever the guilt gets bad, it helps. So he pushes away the covers and hurries to get dressed, hurries to Mystic Falls.

The memories he encounters in the town are widespread. Memories from 1864, of watching the future ripper of Monterey tear into his own father, and from years before when vampires from all over came to mourn the death of the Salem witches, and also from his own childhood. He remembers how Kol and Rebekah would draw figures in the dirt with their shoes during prayer. Then, once all of the others would leave to return to work, Elijah would stay with them, justifying every line and circle in some scathing satire on their lives. Now, the only joke is that they never end.

He walks the rows of the dead in the cemetery. Their lives get to end. How lucky they are to be free of all that they have done. They do not have to see the children of those they have killed. They do not bear the burden of the destruction of society. No, they are dead. As many wise people have said, himself included, it is the living that should be pitied. From the distance, he hears the sound of sniffling. It's a prime example of what he means. The living have such emotion, such heartache. He moves towards the sound out of curiosity. What is this person mourning? Who? He spots the person - a girl - crouched in the dirt, her face tucked down to look at the book in her lap. A journal most likely. The sight brings him back to another memory of his sister. In the days following Henrick's death, Rebekah would sit beside his tombstone, leaving presents and inviting him to play with her. Elijah's heart goes out to this girl, whoever she may be. He turns, prepared to leave her to mourn in peace. But then, she speaks, and everything changes.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

Elijah stiffens. He knows that voice. It has haunted him for one thousand years. But it's not possible. It can't be. Tatia is dead. Katerina has no children. And yet, here she is. The next Petrova doppelganger. She's captivating. She's so broken, so plagued that when she speaks the sound of sorrow seems to seep from her soul. She talks to them, her parents, and apologizes for taking them away. For going to some party and bringing them out of the house. For killing them. She seems to believe it, that she is the reason her parents are dead. Elijah feels for her even more. She knows the same pain that he has been trying to let go of for centuries. He wonders how long she has until she learns to move past it. How long has it been since they died? He wants to know, but it's not just that. It's everything. He's overcome with the urge to know all he can about her. Who is this girl? What's her name? How old is she? She can't be much older than Tatia was, or Katerina. From the look of her, she's the same age. Is she as problematic, as enticing, as hauntingly, torturously addicting? Perhaps he could ask her. Just one word. One question. That should be enough. He glances up, prepared to move closer, and sees only the tombstone. She left? Was he that lost in thought? Now she is lost, gone off into the same town that has taken the last two doppelgangers from him. No, he will not lose another. He will find her.

He walks to the tombstone she called home. He skips the message, reading the names instead. Miranda and Grayson Gilbert. He knows that name, that property. He hunts down the Gilbert home. Stakes it out, watching as she and two others come in and out. The older woman, though not by much, is her aunt named Jenna. The boy, Jeremy, is the youngest of them all and also heavily medicated; the rhythm to his breathing and the scent on his blood gives that away. Though, Elijah doubts the females know. It takes hours before he finally learns the name of this doppelganger. Her brother says it on a dash out of the building, a simple, hurried "Elena." The rest of the sentence falls away. Elena. Her name is Elena.

It's a beautiful name. Fitting. He learns more about her as well. She's very well-known, a cheerleader, brilliant student, and has recently broken up with her boyfriend, a Matt Donavon. Elijah devours the information, but for as much as he learns, he creates more questions, more things he needs to know. So, after a week or so, he approaches her.

She's sitting at the Mystic Grill, a neglected plate of fries in front of her. She occasionally picks at it, but she's obviously done. He walks up to her slowly, giving her plenty of time to notice him and turn away if she wants to. She doesn't move.

Elena watches him curiously and apprehensively. She's not afraid, a symptom of being a small town girl who's lived here her whole life. He gets to the edge of her table and offers her a small smile. He tells her that he's a historian, and he was wondering if she was willing to talk to him about the town. She seems ready to turn him down when something catches her eye. She stares at it a moment before nodding, gesturing for him to take the seat opposite her. He grins and glances quickly at the other person, a young blonde girl with a confused expression. That must be Caroline, the pushy overzealous girl of Elena's circle. He turns back to Elena quickly enough; the blonde girl is much more Niklaus's speed. His eyes meet Elena's once he turns, and she quickly switches to looking back down at her fries.

He asks her how long she has lived in the town. Does she like it?

She doesn't know anything else. She's lived here her entire life, in the same house, with the same friends. It's... nice.

"Safe?"

"Most of the time."

"What makes it unsafe? The people?"

"No, it's the area. There've been accidents."  _And then she goes quiet. He recognizes a similarity between her and Katerina at this point. They both hide insides of themselves, both physically and mentally. He recalls the way he brought her back, brought her to life._

"You go to the high school obviously. I've heard you have dances."

_She chuckles a bit._ "We do, but the real dancing happens at the parties Caroline throws."  _Real dancing? He wonders what that entails. Alcohol and drugs no doubt. He must have a look on his face because Elena gestures behind him to where Caroline has taken up residence at the bar._   _"_ That's Caroline Forbes. She's head cheerleader, in charge of every committee imaginable, basically an overly enthusiastic Type-A with no boundaries."

"I believe in boundaries. They keep people safe."  _That brings Elena to that other place again. He doesn't like that._  "Though, I suppose sometimes cutting loose isn't a bad thing."  _He offers a smile. Elena returns it slightly._

"What did you say your name was?"

"Elijah Smith."  _The name rolls off his tongue so easily. He's used it for years, a simple way of evading Niklaus. Not that using Mikael's name would attract much attention. Still, it's what he uses this century._

"Elena Gilbert. Nice to meet you."

_It occurs to him then, as her hand reaches for his, how backwards this has been. No names exchanged until a while into the conversation, no hands shaken. It's very modern of him. He can't fight his gentlemanly training though. He bows his head slightly, brushing his lips against the knuckles of her hand._ "The pleasure is mine, Elena." _He releases her hand easily, softly to the table. He thanks her for her time and tells her that his is sadly running out. He must be going._

_She says her goodbyes, says it was nice to talk about something else for a change. He doesn't comment on her slip, doesn't ask his new question ("Something else?") since he already knows the answer. He merely agrees it was pleasant before turning away._

_He leaves the Grill, but he doesn't go far. He walks around to the wall and leans there. Listens as footsteps approach her table and Caroline begins asking about him. Caroline is blunt, quick to assume and nowhere near as fast to apologize. She defends the boyfriend - Matt - saying that he deserves more than Elena flirting with some old guy._

_Elena assures her friend that she wasn't flirting, and Elijah can't be that old. Caroline scoffs and says that he was definitely flirting with her; he kissed her hand. He wants her. It's like basic logic. Elena tells Caroline to drop it; she's not dating now._

_Caroline's voice softens._  "Because of your parents?"

_Elena's hardens._ "Because I don't want to, Caroline. I'm headed home. I'll see you at school tomorrow."  _And he hears the scraping of her chair, the sound of Caroline calling out to her, the door opening. He turns the corner, busying his hand with the change in his pocket. He hears her sharp intake of breath and glances up. She's right in front of him. Perfect._

_She apologizes for nearly crashing into him. He apologizes for still being around. He managed to get himself a little lost. Could she direct him to a hotel?_

_She tells him how to get there and he thanks her again. He turns to leave, but she asks, curiously, how old he is. He pauses and when he looks at her, she has the faintest flush to her cheeks. It suits her. It makes her look more alive._

"Twenty-eight _."_

_She takes in the information with a nod of her head. He hesitates and pulls out his business card from his pocket. He asks if she wouldn't mind meeting up with him again, perhaps to explore some of the town and give a bit more of the history. She agrees and takes the card and the pen he offers. She writes down her number and hands it back. He gives another card to her and tells her that he'll be in touch. Then he truly does take his leave. He walks to the hotel, checks in, and heads up to his room. He goes to the mirror and looks at himself. Makes the first of many promises._

"I will not get involved. I will gather only enough information to soothe my curiosity and then I will be gone. That is all."

_He knows even as he makes it that it is one promise that will be difficult to uphold._

...

_He calls Elena the very next day. He waits a respectable amount of time and then he calls._

"Hello. This is Elijah. We met yesterday at Mystic Grill. I was wondering if you were up to that tour and talk today."

_She is. She tells him to wait one moment. She lays the phone down on something soft, a blanket perhaps. She goes out of her room and a bit away. Tells Jenna she's leaving for a few hours. Jenna gives her dismissal and Elena tells him to meet her back at the Grill. He's waiting outside before she can even hang up the phone._

_They spend hours walking through the town. She informs him about the Founders parties and the things she's picked up over the years. He admits that he knows quite a bit about the early days of the town, back during the time of the Founders. He asks her about the folklore surrounding the town. Elena chuckles,_  "What? About the vampires? If you're here for those, you're going to be pretty disappointed."

_Elijah shrugs._ "I'm sure I'll find something else to keep me occupied." _He glances sideways at her. Again, her cheeks flush._

_She says that she won't be able to spend that much time with him. She has school, friends, family._

_He tells her that's good. She has her priorities in order. Family first, and curious strangers last._

"You're not a stranger."

"Aren't I? What have I actually told you about myself?"

"Your name. Your phone number. Your age."

_And I lied about two of them,_  he thinks.  _"_ What else would you like to know?"

_She starts to deny that she wants to know anything, but she stops herself._ "Do you have any family?"

"Yes and no. I was one of six children, but ill fortune has brought the number down. I'm honestly unsure if the number is currently three or two. Both of my parents are dead and have been for a very long time."

She gets that look again, like she's disappearing. "I can't even imagine what that must be like. I -"  _she steels herself_ "- my parents died this year. Four months ago. I couldn't even imagine getting through that without Jeremy or Jenna. That's my brother and my aunt. You don't have any other family?"

_He shakes his head._ "It's alright. I've learned that there's a peace in solitude. Lots of room for reflection. Though, at times, I seem to think too much. I've taken to writing down some of my thoughts. I find it helps... sort things out."

_A bit of a spark returns to Elena's eyes._ "You keep a journal?"  _He nods._  "I do too. It's pretty simple stuff, mostly the little things I do and think about. It's probably just a bunch of whining."

"If it's what you're truly feeling, it's not simple. Your emotions are everything, Elena. They're how you perceive the world and how it perceives you. They're... they define you."

"So I'm defined by sadness and fear?"  _She chuckles breathlessly, uncomfortably, almost as if she can't believe she's opening up. She probably can't. He can't. How could she be so... trusting?_

"No, by your strength. To accept that you're feeling those and not something more aggressive. Many people hide behind anger. You're not. You're strong."

_She shakes her head._ "You don't know me. I-"

"I'm a quick study. Alright. My turn to ask you a question."

"Your turn? Is this a game?"

_He shrugs. He finds he does that a lot with her. Allows her to take what she wants in whatever direction she chooses._  "If you wish. Where do you keep your journal?" _She pauses._  "It says a lot about a person."

"I hide it, where no one can get to it."

"Keeping it close to yourself and out of reach. You're afraid of how other people will read what you write. What they'll think of you after."

_She doesn't get that look this time. She looks at him with a bit of shock. She's quick to respond._  "Where's yours?"

"With me, right now."

"Right now? So you keep it very close because you don't want it in the wrong hands. You're afraid. You're paranoid."

_He grins._ "Cute."  _She grins back._ "And, for the record, I'm not talking about your trick."

_Her grin doesn't falter. She pushes at a loose strand of hair._ "I know."

_..._

_They go a few days without talking. The Saturday, the Sunday, and the Monday before her first week of school. On her actual first day, he waits outside of her house. He doesn't necessarily mean to, but he winds up a few houses down, watching as she gets picked up and heads away. He watches the car as it leaves, listens to her conversation with Bonnie, the witch. He's just standing and listening, so focused on that that he doesn't notice when another person approaches him. He turns when he hears a throat cleared. He finds himself looking directly at Elena's aunt, Jenna._

"Hello _," he says._

_She says,_  "You've been out here for an hour. It's creeping me out and the rest of the neighbors. I'll have to ask you to leave."

"I apologize for the inconvenience. I had come by to possibly speak with Elena Gilbert, but I got a little turned around once I got in this area."

_Jenna's eyes narrow._  "Elena? You do know that she's seventeen, right?"

"I'm aware. She was informing me on the way of the town. I'm a historian, and I like to compare what I've read with what exists today."

"Did you try talking to someone from a university? Or the Founders council?"

"I was told that Elena is a Founder. Well, a descendant of what you all classify as the Founders."

"She is, but she's also only in high school. If you want to talk to Elena, you talk to me first. Got it?"

_Elijah nods with a grin._  "Perfectly."  _He regards Jenna a moment before adding,_  "If you don't mind me saying, I can tell that Elena's a person who pushes away her own needs. It's good that she has someone to watch out for those. You're doing a fantastic job, especially for someone thrust into the role."

_Jenna is stunned. Silent. She clears her throat again, though he's certain this one is just to regain some semblance of her tough exterior. She says,_  "Thank you. But that doesn't mean you get to talk to her whenever. I don't want to find you camped out on our street again either. Good bye..."  _And she waits for him to say his name._

"Elijah Smith."

"Good bye, Elijah Smith."

"And you as well, Jenna."  _Again, she seems stunned. She also seems impressed, intrigued. No doubt he will be the subject for discussion once Elena gets home from school. He can't help but wonder how that particular chat will go._

_..._

_Hours later, Elijah finds himself listening in on that chat, well, on dinner as a whole. He's not technically on the street. He's lying on the roof, looking up at the moon while he listens to the food swirling around. The boy is absent, and Elena is... distracted. Jenna comments on it between a scrape of a fork across a plate._

"What's with you? Bad first day?"

_Elena scoffs lightly._  "Bad year, Jenna. But, um, actually I've been thinking about after school. I bumped into this guy."

"Do you mean the guy who was camped out here this morning?"

"Camped out? What guy?"

_Another fork scrape._  "Elijah Smith."

_And Elijah isn't sure if it's his mind playing tricks on him that adds the hint of hope in Elena's voice when she asks,_  "Elijah? Here? I guess he really isn't giving up."

"Has he tried something? Because, Elena, this is definitely not something I should be condoning."

"He hasn't tried anything, Jenna. And, honestly, he's not the sketchiest guy I've met this week. The guy I met today, Stefan, is... mysterious, brooding, tortured in this way that makes me think he's seen a lot of dark stuff. He's got family in the graveyard, and he ran away from me."

"Ran away?"  _Jenna sounds confused. Elijah is too. Who would run away from Elena? And more importantly, is this Stefan the one he thinks it is? The great ripper of Monterey? The very same one who spent quite a while wrapped around Rebekah's finger?_

"I had a cut on my leg. I was bleeding. He ran away."

"That's odd."

"Yeah, so, I'm thinking about him."

"And not Elijah?"

_He hears a pick up in the speed of Elena's blood. Not much, but she's probably slightly flushed. Her fork tosses around some pasta, which plops into the sauce as she exhales. "_ I'm thinking about him a bit too... He's interesting. Cultured. Intelligent. Caroline thinks he's flirting with me, but-"

"Oh, he's flirting."

"Jenna! He's not-"

"Elena, guys like that don't stick around at seven in the morning unless they're interested. Again, on the record, I can't condone it."

_A pause. And Elena definitely does sound hopeful here._  "Off the record?"

_Jenna clears her throat and her fingers intertwine. She leans forward and says,_  "He seems nice, respectable, and he's definitely not bad on the eyes. I'd say be careful. Don't even think about anything going past eleven. No dates at his place. No sex-"

"Okay!"  _Elena's pulse is racing. She must be very embarrassed. She clears her throat, says, "_ I'm meeting Bonnie at the Grill. I should probably go get ready for that."

_Jenna dismisses her with a little laugh. Elena rushes up the stairs and closes her door behind her. Elijah debates momentarily before pulling out his phone. He dials her. She answers instantly._

"Hello, Elena. It's Elijah."

"Yeah, they have this thing called caller id, so I already knew that."

"Right."  _He wonders where all of his words have gone. He's been around for one thousand years. He can talk on the phone without sounding like an idiot._  "I've only been in town a few days at this point, and I don't know many people. I wondered if you would like to... do something."

"Do something?" _She repeats. "_ Like... dinner or drinks or...?"

"I just ate actually. I was thinking a drink. Non-alcoholic of course. And possibly tonight."

_Elena is silent. She's considering it. He's not exactly sure what to make of this silence. There's no fidgeting, no change in pulse, no breathing sounds. He can't prepare what to do next if he can't hear. What if she says -_

"Alright, but I'm supposed to be meeting a friend. Is it okay if you have to share?"

_He's spent five hundred years waiting for her. He couldn't give a damn about anyone wanting to spend time with her so long as he got his time. Well, okay, he might care about Niklaus, but his brother seems to be as ignorant as possible about this situation. Elijah hopes it stays that way._

"Of course. Friends before curious strangers, remember?"

_She chuckles._  "Right. Do you want to meet at the Grill, or you can come by and have another talk with my aunt Jenna about stalking?"

_Now he chuckles._  "I was not stalking. I was... curious. And I will gladly suffer through another interrogation for the honor of a night in your presence, Elena."

"I-I'll see you soon then."

"That you will. Until then, Elena."

"Until then."

_He spends a moment looking at his phone, imagining the look on her face. He savors it until the moment is ruined by a noise. He glances out towards it. There's a figure in the distance. He looks a little closer, and it's a man with a book in his hand. Not just any man. It's Stefan, Stefan Salvatore. He should have known that one of the boys turned by the last doppelganger would find the current one. Elijah hops down, crossing easily towards Stefan from behind._

_From over the younger vampire's shoulder, Elijah says, "_ Nice house, isn't it?"

_Stefan doesn't bother glancing back. "_ I know one of the people who lives there."

"As do I. I'm actually headed there now. Could I pass along a message?"

_Stefan's grip on the book tightens. Now that he's closer, Elijah can see it's a journal. Elena's? She did say she went to the cemetery. That seems to be where she does her writing. She must have left it. Stefan slowly unclenches and says, "_ I'll pass it myself. Tomorrow. Thanks for the offer though."

_Elijah nods and heads forward to the home. Stefan doesn't leave until after Elijah knocks and Jenna opens the door. She does not seem exactly pleased to see him, but she's not displeased either._

"You know, camping out on the porch is still camping out,"  _Jenna says._

_Elijah replies with "_ It's not camping if I get permission. I would like to take Elena to the Grill for a brief night of conversation amongst her friends and possibly one or two non-alcoholic beverages that speak to us over the next say... two hours. Is that alright with you?"

_Jenna looks much more pleased by this point. The edges of her lips have turned upwards, and she's about to consent when Elena comes barreling down the steps. Elena answers for her._

"Yes, it most certainly is,"  _Elena says directly to him. She looks to Jenna._  "We'll be with Bonnie, and probably Caroline too. I'll be back before eleven, and now that I have sadly shown my true age, I'm sure there will be no reason for you to call me on my phone, which is in my pocket. See you later, Jenna."

_Both adults seem amused with Elena. She's had practice with this, this rundown of the itinerary. Were her parents protective? They must have been. He wonders if they would allow her out on the first night of school with a strange man. Then he figures that his chances with the aunt saying yes are much higher. He respectfully waves his goodbye and leads Elena down the street to where a car awaits. After a brief smile as they buckle in, he pulls away from the curb and off to the Grill. He doesn't have to be warned to know that he's about to enter the lion's den, with the prized cub on his arm. Still, it adds a bit of menace when Elena says, "_ Don't look them straight in the eye, and avoid Caroline. At all costs. I'm serious. You will never get away."  _And then she opens the door, waits for him to do the same, and they enter the building, side by side, ready for the first time to take on the world together._

_..._

_That night, Elijah has another nightmare. It's similar to the one that drove him to Mystic Falls. He's again in a room of bodies, a room twenty times larger than any ballroom, with every inch of the floor covered in blood and carnage. The sight tosses him, forces him to the ground. Instead of finding Tatia, he finds Elena, a living body in the wreckage he has created, someone that presents him with a choice - to feed, or to save? He doesn't recognize what he's doing until his teeth are tearing into her throat. He awakes before she even gets the chance to scream. He spends the remainder of the night lying on her roof, listening to every constant beat of her heart to assure himself that she is still here. He has not harmed her. She is safe. She is safe._

_..._

_Elena calls him first this time. It's a bit of a shock to Elijah to have his phone ring at all. The conversation is brief despite the numerous times that Elena stutters over her words. She's nervous, and it's not until a few minutes in to their chat that he realizes why. She's inviting him to a party, the Founders' Council Celebration. She needs an escort, and, well, it seems like an event a historian would enjoy. She rationalizes it, tries to make it seem a little less like she's asking him out officially, but they both recognize it for what it is. He agrees of course. Asks what color her dress is so that his tie can match. She tells him,_ "Pink."

_..._

_It is less of a ball and more of a meeting. He watches as, one by one, the adult founders take their leave from the party. It reminds him of the way the alpha of the pack would meet with a few chosen werewolves to discuss Elijah's family. How to handle them. He listens as they call their little meeting to order, and, more importantly, he hears the Salvatores appear to the event. Stefan is alone, but the talk amongst the teenagers is that he's there for Elena. Of course he is. When the second Salvatore brother arrives, Elijah grows worrisome. He's heard of the trouble these brothers cause, the attention they stir. He also knows that they are not nearly as observant as they pretend to be. So he watches them throughout the evening, while they have no idea that they should be watching him. He doesn't force Elena to stay by his side. He allows her to do as she pleases, which eventually does include a chat with both Salvatores._

_Her chat with Stefan is pretty simple. He apologizes for his erratic behavior. She tells him not to worry about it. He wants to make it up to her. A dance? She agrees, and their bodies spin on the floor. He admits that having his brother around brings out the worst in him. She mentions family can do that. He wants to say something more, but the song ends and Elena excuses herself._

_Her talk with Damon is a bit more complicated. He uses the opportunity to mention his origins as a vampire, talking about the 'original' Salvatore brothers and the woman who tore them apart. It's clever really, but it only confuses Elena more. At the rate Damon is going, Elena will know about vampires by the end of the week. By the end of the next song, Elena is headed towards Elijah again._

_She asks what he knows about the Battle of Bull Creek._

"I know what the history books say, but I also know that there was a fire that killed twenty-six people in a church. The interesting thing about that is that it is also tied into the folklore of the town. The people inside were thought to be vampires, and fire is supposed to be one of the few ways to kill them."

_Elena grins a bit, teases, "_ You're pretty fascinated with vampires, Elijah. Are you Team Edward?"

_He chuckles._  "My version of vampire doesn't sparkle; it burns."

_Elena opens her mouth to respond, but stops when she sees Caroline. The blonde is wrapped up in a scarf. Elijah can hear the way the soft fabric brushes against the healing bite marks. She's been used for feeding, very recently in fact._

_Elena admits,_  "I'm worried about Caroline. She's acting different ever since she started spending time with Damon. I know it's silly because, if anyone's been different lately, it should be me, but I feel like... like she's in danger, you know?"

_Oh he knows. "_ I'll look into it,"  _he says easily._

_What he means is that he'll put a stop to it. He waits until he finds Damon alone and, in not so subtle terms, tells the more devious of the brothers to stay away. Damon doesn't like to be told what to do. He puts up a fight, talking a strong front before charging at Elijah. Elijah uses Damon's own momentum to get a firm hold on his heart. In between Damon's sputtering, Elijah tells him, calmly, "_ Do not test me. It would take me seconds to kill you, and I would not blink an eye. Stay away from Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena. And, stop attacking the residents. You're drawing too much attention."

"And if I don't?"  _coughs Damon. Elijah squeezes down and watches as the skin on Damon's face tightens and pulls in, graying ever so slightly. Elijah slowly loosens his grip before releasing Damon completely. Without the support of Elijah's arm, Damon drops to the ground. The original pats him on the heaving shoulder._

"It was a pleasure talking to you, Damon."

_..._

_Damon attempts to return the favor. He and Stefan stop by Elijah's hotel room with a vile of vervain and a plan that would have worked were Elijah not an Original vampire. Elijah recovers from the vervain in seconds and merely invites both brothers in. Stefan and Damon are stunned. Worried obviously. But they enter nonetheless. Elijah fixes them tea and offers it. They both decline. Stefan is the one to speak first._

"What are you doing here in Mystic Falls?"  _he asks._

_Elijah sips at his own cup of tea, his back resting against the edge of the counter. His demeanor is as casual as his voice when he says, "_ I suppose the same reason you are, Stefan, to get to know Elena."

_Damon scoffs._  "Great. What did Katherine do to you? Pledge her love and then leave you to die?"

_A smirk forms on Elijah's lips as his memories return. He thinks of the stolen kisses when Niklaus was away, of the laughter and whispered secrets. "_ No. In fact, I left her to. But, we're not here to talk about Katherine. We're here because you want to kill me and you both want Elena to yourself."  _Both brothers share a piercing look. Elijah's smirk broadens. "_ Am I wrong?"

_Stefan stands a bit straighter. He asks, "_ What will it take for you to leave Elena alone?"

"Nothing short of Elena herself telling me to go. In the mean time, I assure you any other attempts you might make on my life will only wind up hurting you. As your brother has probably told you, I'm quite strong. I'm also a fan of ripping hearts directly out of the chests of those that cannot see reason."

_Damon's quick to say "_ We see reason. We just want you out of here. It's our town, and we're not exactly welcoming of other vamps strolling in."

"Well, I was here first, so I have - what do they call it - dibs."

_Stefan asks, "_ On the town or on Elena?"

"Both."  _Elijah sets down the empty cup of tea, brushes off a spot of lint and stands to his full height. "_ Well, if you boys will excuse me, I have to go meet Elena for lunch. Lock up after yourselves, won't you?"

_Elijah's hand is on the door when the stake comes straight for him. In a flash, he has that same stake wedged into Damon's liver. His eyes flare with rage momentarily, but they return to the cool, collected look he normally has as the older Salvatore writhes in pain. Elijah makes no verbal comment. He meets Stefan's gaze, his warning from earlier hanging between the two of them. Stefan's lips purse, and Elijah leaves. As he goes, he listens to the Salvatores's confusion. They want to know who he is, what he is. He almost wants to tell them, but what's the fun in that?_

_..._

_His date with Elena goes off without a hitch. In fact, that night Elena brings up the subject of dating. They're walking back to her home, hands hanging somewhere between the two of them, brushing but never fully latching on. It reminds him of the way courting worked when he was younger._

_She stops the walk, looks straight in his eyes, and says,_ "I know that I didn't seem all that interested at first, in dating or anything, but I think I'm better now. I want to be better because I'm sick of worrying about who's going to die next, or what I'm not going to get the chance to do. I want to live my life, Elijah, and right now, I want that to include you."

_It's presumptuous, frank, and honest. He almost makes a comment about her spending too much time with Caroline before he realizes that a comment like that would set them back. He does not want to move back. He wants to move forward. He wants to feel her warm hands in his and imagine that the warmth spreads through him as well. He wants to understand how someone who has lived for such a short period of time has managed to be so open and understanding when he himself has problems with it. He wants her, in every way possible and any way she will allow._

"As you wish, Elena."  _He steps forward, his hand finding the side of her face. She shivers at his touch and he wonders what has caused it. The coolness of his fingers or the warmth of this approaching touch. Their lips meet, softly, tentatively, but it does not last long. He's hungry for her. He can tell the difference instantly in her kiss from Katerina's, or Tatia's. He can't pinpoint what it is, but he will gladly spend the rest of her life trying to figure it out._

_They kiss until even his lips have turned red. Then, he takes her hand in his, slips them both into the pocket of his coat, and brings his lady home. At her door, he offers a chaste kiss and steps back. She opens it and hesitates. She mentions that Jenna isn't home; he's more than welcome to come in. He steps into the house, bypassing the threshold with a gentle ease, and his lips find hers again. It's stronger than any of the others. Hungry on her side for all he will give her. He would give her the world. But, not tonight._

"Until next time, Elena,"  _he whispers against her lips. She sighs._

"Always the gentleman,"  _she mumbles. He grins and steals another quick kiss. "_ Until next time."


	2. i'll be here patiently waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am awed, and I thank every single one of you who have reviewed, alerted, liked or reblogged on Tumblr, or commented on LJ. Now, notes about the story: I'm a huge fan of Caroline, so expect her to be part of this. Also, keep in mind that Caroline spends her Damon-time knowing about vampires. And... I think that's it. If anyone is trying to keep track of progress, the end of this chapter puts approximately at the same time as the end of episode seven. Okay, go forth and read.

_The night of that date, Elijah dreams of her kisses, her smile, her entire being. It's the lightest night that he has had in years._

_..._

_The next week passes by in a haze of late night phone calls and walks they've long since memorized. Over the time, he watches her change. She blossoms, growing into a more confident, mature, young woman. She no longer fakes her grins or drifts off to that sad place inside of herself. She reflects still, but she's more open and engaging. She's exhilarating. Her mere presence awakens in him what he thought to be long dead. When he's around her, he's hungry in a new way. He finds solace only in her arms, her lips, her touch. He's not sure how it happens. One moment, they are interlocked, bodies twisting and souls gasping, and the next, he's looking into her fear laced eyes with his fangs bared. He reels in that particular instinct easily, but her emotions take much longer._

_She doesn't run from him. She stares, her eyes widened to take in as much as she can from the situation. She memorizes every detail of his face, but it has already returned to its normal state. She says nothing. He waits. And waits. And waits. Eventually, he can wait no longer, not if they want to have any semblance of a conversation before Jenna gets home._

"I can't answer your questions if you don't ask them, Elena."

 _She remains silent. Struggles with words. She croaks out, "_ What...?" _She doesn't finish the question, but he actually can answer it. He's simply not sure if they'll survive it when he does._

"I'll answer you honestly, as I always have. I trust you, and I hope that you do the same and hear me out. What you are about to learn does not change how I feel about you, or anything else. I'm still Elijah. I write books and enjoy history. I like long walks on the streets, but only if I have my ring."  _He watches Elena's eyes fall to the ring, the one on his left middle finger. She stares at it, asks it all of the things that she cannot bring herself to voice, to even comprehend._

"W-what are you?"

 _She sounds broken, conflicted, as if everything she knows is a lie. He wants to deny it, but how can he? Her life is, in part, a lie. She is not a Gilbert. She is a Petrova. She comes from a long line of women who have drawn in the attention of the original vampire family and have lost their lives because of it. Her blood rivals the sweetest and most addictive of wines. She's supernatural, exquisite, and he's a hypocritical abomination. A crime against nature_. _"_ A vampire."

_Something akin to a sob leaves her throat. It tears through her like the comet they watched only weeks before. Oh how much has changed since then. The most basic one being that he has fallen for her. For a man who does not believe in love, he certainly experiences it strongly. His own body withers at the sound of her weakness, her pain._

"That - no, you can't be - you're not..."  _She looks up, meets his eye with a sort of resigned determination, as if she knows that she's wrong but cannot give up yet._ "No."

"Yes, Elena. I have been for a long time now."

 _She shakes her head, again and again. Tries to convince him, convince herself._ "Vampires aren't real, Elijah. I don't believe in stuff like that. Who believes in stuff like that?"

 _She's desperate, wavering, but he is not. He is strong the way he always has been for her, the way he will continue to be._  "Some say that seeing is believing. Would you like to see?"

_She shakes her head no, but her eyes - those gorgeous halting brown eyes - say yes. So he allows his basic instincts to take over. Feels the veins snake into life, grimaces as his fangs come into place, blinks slowly while his eyes - those honest, trusting blue eyes - turn wide and dark in their thirst._

_Elena watches him with a gasp. Her right hand trembles at her side. He tells her,_ "You can touch if you would like."  _The hand shakes the entire way up to his face. She traces the veins with tears in her eyes. By the time her fingers brush his lips, the small droplets are rolling down her cheeks. He resists the urge to wipe them, to hold her, to do something. Now is the time to wait and allow Elena to make a decision. Does she learn to accept him, or does she run away?_

 _He feels more than hears her whispered request, her plea._ "Go. Please, go."

_..._

_Two days go by without contact. During that time, Elijah refrains from his habit of camping on her rooftop. He forces himself not to go near her school. He practically locks himself inside of his hotel room, trying not to think of how deeply he feels for her. In such a short amount of time, Elena has become the lapis that allows him to see the light, to breathe and live the life that he has been eternally granted. Only, as he is painfully aware of, she has been stripped away._

_Elena, on the other hand, spends her days neck deep in Salvatore drama. She talks to Stefan and Damon, debates with Caroline over trivial details, jokes with Bonnie, and grows increasingly wary of Jeremy's druggie girlfriend. Elijah gets his information from Caroline. She might be an insecure neurotic Type-A little thing, but that just means she never forgets a detail. Caroline rants to him for hours before finally, on the third day, she tells him that Elena seems to be back to normal. Elena will call him soon. She totally will._

...

_When Elena does talk to him again, it's in person. She appears at his hotel with her school bag still firmly on her shoulder. Her arms are tight around her chest, a scarf covers her neck, and she fidgets slightly. Despite all of this, she demands that he explain himself. He has one hour. That's it._

_He starts the hour by telling her that he would never hurt her, or anyone she cares about for that matter. He stopped Damon from bothering Caroline, not only because of Elena but because he values human life. He is not a monster. If there is one thing she must understand, it is that. Elijah is not a monster._

_He goes on to explain his strengths, his weaknesses. He tells her how one becomes a vampire and what happens in the time after, what has happened in his time. But one thing he doesn't say, one thing she must ask, is why he has come here, why he is with her._

_He spends some time thinking after she asks him. Ponders the right words_. "I am originally from here. I come home every so often to unwind. Instead of that, I found you. I could not - and would not - look away. You are an astonishing woman, Elena, not only physically but mentally and emotionally. You astound me every day with the depth of your heart. I am honored to be a part of that, even if I have now lost you."

 _It's her turn to be quiet. To think. To whisper,_ "You haven't lost me, Elijah."  _She pauses. Her voice strengthens._  "But I do need some time. I need... to think. But I have another question first. Will you answer it?"

"Of course. Anything."  _He isn't sure what he's expecting the next question to be. He thinks of all of the questions he asked upon learning of his new life. He thinks about his family, his future, his actual age, her safety. She asks,_

"Are the Salvatores vampires too?"  _He takes it in. She goes on to add,_ "Caroline's only bruises from Damon were to her neck, and Stefan freaked out the sight of my blood. They're vampires, aren't they?"

 _Elijah considers lying, considers protecting them despite the way they repeatedly attacked him. But, he has already promised himself never to lie to Elena. He nods._ "They are."

 _She nods slowly, a smile of disbelief on her face._  "I guess I'm a magnet for you guys. Vampires."

 _Elijah grins slightly, though only because of how right she is. It's sad that she has to be, that because of the face she wears she will never be able to live a life free of the supernatural. Even if she leaves Elijah and the Salvatores behind, Klaus will eventually catch wind of her. Vampires and werewolves from all over will be searching for her to break the 'Sun and the Moon' curse. She's doomed, and she hasn't done a single thing to deserve it._  "We're still men, Elena, just men that can't die."

"Unless someone sticks a wooden stake through your heart,"  _Elena says. He laughs._

"The only ones who know about vampires are the Founders' Council, and I would definitely hear them coming."  _He decides not to add that the wooden stake used to kill him would have to be specially crafted from a tree that no longer exists. Best not to frighten her._

"What do you hear?"  _she asks._ "Like, right now, what can you hear?"

"You. Not only your voice, but the sound of your breathing, the beating of your heart, the blood in your veins, the tiny noise you're making just by trying not to speak and grounding your back teeth together. I hear the woman making the bed on the floor below us. She's wearing something that rustles, probably a skirt a bit too long. If I tried, I could hear the lobby and the man checking in his family of three. The daughter is unhappy. She has to go to the bathroom, but she's secretly already started to go a little bit in her shorts."

_The last detail makes Elena smile, finally. She laughs a bit despite herself._

"Okay, so you're the king of eavesdropping,"  _she says._

"I am also quite good at chess, and not just because I can practically read your mind."

 _Elena rises an eyebrow, curiously._  "Read my mind? You said you could compel humans, but reading minds... What am I thinking?"

_He wants to argue that he would not actually ever read her mind. He's above silly things like that. It's much more of Sage's speed. But, if she truly wants him to, he can. He reaches out, brushing her hair from her ear and allowing his palm to rest on her cheek. He doesn't need the contact to do it, but he's not going to miss an opportunity to hold her, even briefly. He looks into her eyes and concentrates. Instantly, there's a flood of images in his mind. Rushing, racing ones, with blurred faces and garbled speech. A few slow enough for him to see what they hold. There's Elena as a child, a man on the edge of her bed telling her a story about vampires and the people who stop them. There's Stefan and Damon and the mention of Katherine that looms over them all like a tense bomb prepared to fall. And then there's him, Elijah, asleep while Elena convinces herself that the heartbeat she doesn't hear is there somewhere._

_Elijah removes his hand from her face. Elena doesn't seem as curious anymore as she seems worried, afraid, nervous. She wants to know what he could tell. He says,_ "You're afraid, Elena, not that I or anyone else will harm you, but that we'll let you down. That you have already let us down. You think that we've been preparing you to know about us, but that you've been too stubborn to notice. You think you can't handle this."

 _Elena breaks eye contact, brushes the hair on the side he didn't touch. She says,_ "I can't."

 _He shakes his head._ "Elena, you would be amazed by what you can handle if you only allow yourself to. You were made to live this life, not of the vampire, but of the supernatural. You're connected to it whether you want to be or not."

 _And then Elena asks,_ "How?"

 _His own mind flashes to Tatia, to Katerina._ "You look like a woman that I once knew. Katerina."

 _Elena hesitates before asking,_ "Did you love her?"

"For a time, but never as much as I care for you, Elena."

_He's basically told her that he loves her. He half expects her to tell it to him back. She cares for him. He can tell in her actions, her eyes, the beat of her heart. Even more than that, he can tell from their interactions that their bond goes deeper than even love. This is the type of match that nature itself could not destroy. This is right. They are right._

"Your hour's up. I've got to go."

_He just wishes Elena would remember that. He says nothing as she pulls her bag tighter over herself and walks away. He lets her go. Isn't that what you're supposed to do when you love something? Let it go and wait for it to return._

"Let the waiting begin."

...

_Caroline doesn't understand what she likes to call "their fight." She thinks it's crazy that Elena is staying away from Elijah._

"You're like perfect for her. You're mature and sweet and you're mysterious without being all secretive and dangerous."  _Caroline's heart picks up slightly in speed there. It doesn't exactly take a vampire to guess why those particular words get to her. It's obvious that Caroline feels something for the younger Salvatore, regardless of how he feels for her._

"How is Stefan?"

 _Predictably (and adorably) Caroline groans._ "Fine. Whatever. He's not so secretly pining for Elena, as always."  _Elijah's jaw tightens, but he says nothing. Caroline has enough to say for the both of them anyway._  "I don't get it. No offense to you or Elena or anything, but why is everyone so in love with her and the only guy I can get is a dickwad like Damon?"

 _Elijah chuckles. He tells her,_ "I love Elena because of her compassion, her honesty, and her soul. That's not to say that you're not any of those things. You are, and so much more. You simply have to find the right man who notices them and will spend the rest of his life trying to make sure you do as well."

 _Caroline has these hopeful eyes, and her voice is soft when she says,_ "You're just trying to make me feel better."

"I never lie, Caroline. I don't sugarcoat. I tell the truth, and you are bewitching."

 _Her eyes turn glassy. She asks,_ "Why are you so nice to me?"

 _He wishes he had a good answer. One that wasn't so deeply rooted into who he is and what he cares about. But, the truth is_  "You remind me of my sister. Rebekah. She was strong. Like you, she had to fight for respect. She was determined to make something of herself. But, underneath all of the drive and the bravado, she was just a girl looking for acceptance, who would do anything to get it."  _Absolutely anything._

"Let me guess, she met the right guy and is now living happily ever after somewhere hot and sunny."

_He wishes that were the case, but he knows now that it isn't. He's spent the last few weeks hunting down as much information as possible on Niklaus. He's learned that his brother is as elusive as ever, and that no one has seen Rebekah for decades. Not since the 20s. She's most likely floating in the ocean with the rest of their family. The thought makes him silent, which seems to tell Caroline all that she needs to know. Her face drops with guilt and sadness. That only reminds him of the last time he saw Rebekah, her entire body covered in the blood of her victims, the broken chain of their mother's necklace dangling from her fingertips as tears streamed down her face. That is his last memory of her. A girl drawn mad in her quest for love, for hope, for humanity._

"Oh. I-I'm sorry."  _Caroline is. Truly so._ "I'm just kind of bitter today. I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine. I don't talk about her much. I left her behind, and now I don't know what happened to her. I haven't seen her since."  _Does he want to? To see the look of betrayal on her slowly pinking face, to grovel for forgiveness that he does not deserve, to hear her taunts and rage at him once again falling for a Petrova? No. He doesn't want to see her. He is honestly what she says of him. (Pathetic. Coward. Hypocrite!)_  "But that will change. I don't plan to make the same mistake again."

"With Elena,"  _says Caroline, but he hears the slight tilt in her voice. It's a question, one she probably hates herself for even asking. It's not about Elena, or Rebekah; it's about Caroline. She's told him a lot about herself during their conversations. About how her dad left her mom for a guy named Stephen, and how her mom then completely disappeared into her job as sheriff, and how no one even seemed to notice much because Elena lost her parents. How no one ever seems to notice._

"And you, I'm afraid,"  _says Elijah with a feigned apologetic smile._ "I'm sorry to tell you that you are stuck with me, Caroline. I shall be looming over your shoulder and scaring away all of the big bad vampires for quite some time."

 _Caroline grins. Giggles even._ "What, so you're like my protective big brother now?"

"Indeed I am."

 _She gets quieter. For a moment, he reconsiders himself. Was he wrong to say that? Has he overstepped? She admits softly,_ "I've always wanted a big brother."  _She reaches over the divide, wrapping her arms around him. He stills in the hold briefly. Slowly, he relaxes. It's been a long time since he's been hugged in this way. Not since the day with Rebekah. Even longer with Kol, or Finn, or Henrick. He thinks of all of their fates - turned, hunted, daggered, and gone - and vows not to let the same happen to Caroline. She deserves more than that, and he will do everything in his power to make sure that she gets it._

_..._

_Caroline leaves shortly after that. She's barely gone before Jenna 's knocking on Elijah's door. He knows it's Jenna by the smell of her blood and the way that even her knock is laced with a confidence that he knows well. It's the same type of courage that parents always have when defending their kids. He smiles at the thought as he lets her in._

_Instantly, Jenna's finger is stabbed into his chest. It's a poor substitute for what she probably would like to do to him. She attacks with her words, telling him,_ "Whatever you did, whatever you said, to Elena needs to be fixed. Now. She spends her time either moping, talking to Bonnie, or with the Salvatores. And, as much as I like Stefan, I like you a hell of a lot more. So fix this before she wings up permanently trapped in whatever freaky triangle Damon and Stefan are creating."

_Elijah chuckles at that. That triangle has been around for over one hundred years; they've merely replaced one of the points. Not that Elena should be one of the points. Ever._

"I can't fix anything unless Elena wants me to. I will not force her to talk to me if she would rather not."

 _Jenna's glare deepens. She says,_  "Elena's spent the last few nights writing in her diary. And when I say writing, I don't mean about why having a sub in history sucks. I mean pages on top of pages, hours, scribbling away about you. I know it's about you because I read about a page before I realized that I was becoming one of those moms-"  _Jenna stops short. He can see the way the word replays in her mind, the moment it settles into her bones that she's acting like a mom and not just the cool aunt who's watching the kids for the weekend. It terrifies her, that much is obvious, but it also seems to motivate her._ "-guardians who snoop and meddle and wind up getting ignored for a week before of it. But, if it takes Elena hating me for her to get over herself, I'm fine with it. So get off your ass and talk to her."

 _Elijah isn't sure exactly what to say to that. So he says,_ "I'm actually on my way out right now."  _The response seems to make Jenna calm a bit. She tries not to show her relief, but the light in her eyes tells him loud and clear. She's glad. She really does want them together._

"Good. I'll see you later. And once you guys get back together, you're coming over for dinner."  _Jenna seems to be on a roll, blasting through everything she wants to say that she suddenly has the power to let out. He's never seen her so worked up. It suits her, the responsibility of being a parent definitely has done her good. A dinner is the least he can do to show Jenna his appreciation for stepping up and helping Elena. So he agrees._

"I would like that."  _Of course, first, he has to get Elena to talk to him. But how hard could that be?_

_..._

_Apparently, quite hard. Not only is Elena very involved in her classes and activities, but she almost always has someone with her to stand in the way. Normally, Caroline wouldn't be a problem, but she's too busy trying to get Elena to actually be a cheerleader again and apparently that's not something Caroline will sacrifice. (_ "Not even for you. I'm serious. Don't give me that innocent moral vampire look. You can talk to her when she's dangling pompoms from the little fingers you're soclearly wrapped around." _)_

 _Then there's Jeremy, who seems to have emerged from his drug-induced bubble long enough to finally take note of Elijah._ ("Aren't you a little old to be dating my sister?")

_And, last but not least, there's Stefan, who watches Elena like a hawk and seems to walk closer to her whenever Elijah even so much as thinks of moving in. There are no words exchanged, only brief glances over distances that normal humans couldn't hold a staring match over. Some petty part of Elijah takes pride in the fact that he wins every time._

_In fact, the only person who doesn't try getting in the way of Elijah talking to Elena is the one he expected to - the witch best friend, Bonnie Bennett._   _Elijah takes that as a good sign, a possible ally as it were. So when the two of them take off after school, Elijah trails behind them, walking for the most part and blurring every so often just to make sure they don't get too far out of his sight. His range of vision is further than theirs. He doesn't think they notice him at all until the girls get to Bonnie's house and the witch tells Elena to go on in first. Bonnie stands outside, silently a moment, before she turns in his direction and says,_ "I know you're there."

_Curiously, he goes to her, walking normally out of the small clump of trees that was his latest hiding spot. She startles when he reveals himself, but she holds her ground. It's to be expected though; she is a Bennett witch._

"Good evening, Bonnie,"  _he greets._

 _She narrows her eyes._ "Cut the crap, Elijah. You've been watching us all day. Does Elena know you're stalking her now?"

 _Elijah burrows his hands into his pockets._  "I am merely waiting to talk to her."

"Then ask to talk to her. Call her. Stop following us. It's creepy. But then again, what more should I expect from a vampire?"  _She says the word as if it's poison on her tongue, a curse, a bug that needs to be effectively squashed. Again, he expects as much from her._

"Why don't you tell me, witch?"  _Her eyes narrow again. His expression doesn't change. Why should it? He's merely laying all of the cards on the table, so to speak. It's not his fault she doesn't like which one she's been dealt._

"Look, Elena is my best friend, and I will do anything to protect her. My Grams doesn't trust your kind. She says you take advantage of everyone around you, especially witches. I'm not going to let you use me, or Elena, for whatever evil plan you have. So just rush or blur or whatever it is you do away from here."

 _Elijah says,_  "Only if Elena tells me to go."

 _Bonnie sighs._ "If she tells you, you'd really go?"

 _He makes sure to meet her gaze when he says,_ "I would do anything for Elena."  _Bonnie takes a moment to read him before she accepts it._

"Fine. I'll bring her out."

_Elijah's surprise shows on his face. His jaw lowers slightly as his eyes widen. The sight seems to make Bonnie happier in spite of what she's about to do. She goes in to her house, calls for Elena, and tells her that she has a visitor. Confused, Elena steps out onto the porch. She freezes when she sees him. It's hardly a breath when she says his name, but he hears it loud and clear, along with the pounding of her heart as it races for him the way she physically won't. She doesn't even step forward, only stands, only stares. He does the same. After a moment or two of this, Bonnie says that she'll be upstairs when they're done, closes the door behind her, and leaves them alone._

"Hello, Elena."

"You shouldn't have come here,"  _she tells him,_  "Bonnie's not exactly the biggest fan of you."

"And yet, she brought you to speak to me. She wants what's best, Elena. Of course, her idea of best is that you tell me to leave you alone, permanently. Is that what you want?"

 _Elena slowly shakes her head._  "No."  _She chuckles in a self-deprecating sort of way._  "That's the problem. Even though I know that you're... a vampire, I still want you around. I still want to be with you. What kind of girl does that make me?"

"Human. You want what makes you happy."

 _Elena bites at her lip._  "It's been a long time since I've been happy, Elijah."  _He looks away from her._ "But you... you make me feel normal, like everything will be okay. But how can I trust you when you can manipulate my mind, come into my house whenever you want, eat me...?"

"I would never-"

 _She holds up a hand to silence him._ "But you can. That's... I have enough going on without that."

 _Elijah wants to argue that he can make everything better. But instead, he grabs hold of the ring in his pocket and holds it out to her. She stares at it, speechless, uncomprehending. He explains,_  "This ring has a small compartment under the stone. I had vervain put inside of it. If you're wearing this ring, no vampire can touch you, physically or mentally."

 _Elena continues to stare at it._  "When you say touch...?"

"I mean 'harm you.' They could not feed on you, or compel you, or enter your dreams. And, as far as entering your home is concerned, I would never do so without your permission."  _She knows as much. It's obvious that she does. Still, she calms when she hears it said aloud. He calms as well. She believes him, trusts him. Now to test that. He holds the ring out further._  "Take it, Elena."

_She glances from that ring to his face and takes a deep breath. Then she walks down the steps to get to him. Her breath hitches when her fingers brush his palm to grab the ring. She doesn't pause though. She slips it on, waits a moment, and then she kisses him. It's a soft brush of the lips, but Elijah swears he's never known a better one. The relief he feels at it is instant, like a tsunami has crashed into him and washed away his fears and worries. It's euphoric. And over far too soon._

_She steps back as she pulls away. She tells him,_ "It's going to take time for me to trust you completely. Maybe forever."

 _Elijah lips turn up slightly._  "Well, I have a lot of time to wait."

_She smiles._

_Behind them (or in front by Elijah's standards), Bonnie clears her throat. Elena turns back to look at her best friend. But Bonnie isn't looking at Elena. Her gaze is firmly on Elijah. The meaning behind it is obvious. If he hurts Elena again, she will do everything in her power to bring him down. He nods his understanding. His focus returns to Elena, who looks between the two of them as if waiting for them to combust._

"Enjoy your carnival tonight, Elena."

_He turns to leave. He doesn't get far before she speaks._

"Will I see you there?"

 _He glances over his shoulder to her._ "Possibly. I have some business to attend to first. Until next time."

 _A small grin forms on her face. She returns,_ "Until tonight."

_He grins the rest of his walk home._

_..._

_Of course the home in question is not his hotel; it's the Salvatore Boarding House. Elijah stands on the street in front of the place, twirling the change from his pocket. Around and around the pennies go while he listens._

_Inside, Damon fills a small glass with blood and scotch, swirling the two together so that they mix perfectly. He lifts the concoction to his lips, pauses, and extends his arm to offer it to the fidgeting girl in the room. Elijah knows who it is without needing a visual or a scent. The town is abuzz with the disappearance of Vicki Donavan. Upon hearing about it from Caroline, Elijah put two and two together quickly enough. And, just as he knew he would, he hears the girl's raspy voice._

"Stefan says not to drink people blood."

 _Damon smirks._ "Stefan's not here. Drink up, sweetheart. Greatest high in the world."

 _At that, Vicki scrambles for the cup. She downs it quickly, gulping down the mix as if it were nothing but air._ "So good," _she breathes. Damon chuckles beside her as if he hasn't just ruined another life. By turning her, by exposing her to blood, by simply existing. He makes Elijah sick._

 _Damon moves closer to Vicki, over her shoulder. He whispers in her ear,_ "And you can have more. Tonight, at the carnival."

 _Vicki asks,_ "For real? I get to go out? I can see Matty? Tyler? Jeremy?"

 _Damon nods._ "Especially Jeremy."

_Elijah's face pulls into a frown. What is Damon up to? And more importantly, how many times must Elijah tell him to butt out before he listens? Perhaps it is time for another one of Elijah's... demonstrations after all. Elijah turns his coins once more before tossing them at the large window in the front of the boarding house. The moment they connect with the glass, the whole thing shatters. Chunks fly, blasting through the curtains and sending sunlight flying through to the room. Vicki's screams are loud and fast, as is Damon's shout of surprise. But Elijah is faster. He's inside with the girl before Damon can finish his crude exclamation._

_Vicki is still writhing in pain from the blisters when Elijah slams her back into the wall. Her eyes pop open, veins bared and fangs at the ready. He meets her gaze with dilated pupils and a simple command._ "You will stay away from Jeremy Gilbert until I tell you otherwise. You are also not to leave this house until I tell you to. Under no circumstance. Do you understand?"

 _Vicki nods absently as her own pupils mirror his momentarily._ "I understand."

_Elijah releases her. Damon rushes in and throws Elijah back. The original doesn't go far, a few feet, but Damon is too bewildered to do or say anything else._

"Y-you compelled her,"  _Damon says. He glances back at Elijah, fear in his eyes for the first time. Elijah smirks._

"You're welcome. Enjoy your evening, Damon."

 _Elijah gets to the door before he hears Damon, mumbling,_ "I hate that guy."

 _Elijah calls behind him,_ "Heard that."

...

_He goes to the Halloween Haunted House. He even puts on a costume. When Elena sees him, she laughs._

"What exactly are you supposed to be?"

 _Elijah glances down to his ridiculous sneakers, the incredibly loose 'basketball shorts', and the T-shirt that hangs off his skin like drapery._ "Modern youth."  _He switches his gaze to Elena, taking in everything from the white medic headband to the simple white tennis shoes and the abundance of flesh in between._ "And you are obviously my fantasy."

 _Elena flushes. She fiddles with the hem of the nurse's dress._  "It's last year's costume. I didn't exactly have time to pick out something else. I got into a fight with Jeremy. He's been skipping everything to search for Vicki, and he's already missed enough of school. He can't lose someone else. He's not ready for that."

 _Elijah says,_  "No one is ever ready, Elena. Though, I'm fairly certain that no one will be losing Vicki any time soon."  _Elena raises an eyebrow curiously._ "She was turned, by Damon. I compelled her to stay at the boarding house so that she wouldn't be a danger to anyone but herself."

 _Elena's jaw unhinges a bit._ "She's...? Is she okay?"

"She has Stefan to help her through the transition. There's no telling when she'll be fit to interact with humans. For now, it's best to keep everyone away from her, especially Matt, Tyler, and Jeremy."

 _Elena says,_ "You might as well put me with her; at least one of them will stay away then."

 _Elijah tells her,_  "Jeremy will come around. Eventually."

"Did you ever make up with your brothers?"  _Elena asks. Elijah thinks of Niklaus and frowns._  "That's what I thought."

_Elijah opens his mouth to say something, but then he catches a sound in the distance. Jeremy is yelling. And Damon is responding. Elena starts to speak, but Elijah holds his hand out to stop her. He focuses, slowly listening as all of the other sounds fade into the distance._

"I heard you and Stefan talking about Vicki. If you know something, you have to tell me. She's my girlfriend."

"Yeah, well, your girlfriend's not exactly person of the year. If anything, this is a blessing in disguise. You're welcome."

 _Damon steps forward, and Jeremy shoves him back to where he was before. Jeremy says,_ "We're not done here."

"I am. Now back off little Gilbert before I do something you'll regret."

 _Jeremy doesn't back off. If anything, his heart pumps harder, his muscle flex, and his entire being seems to spark into action._  "What did you do to Vicki?"

 _Damon smirks._  "Nothing she didn't beg me to do, like the little slut that she is."  _And then Jeremy's fist is flying for Damon's face. The vampire catches it easily and twists it behind Jeremy's back. The boy grunts at the pain, but doesn't stop fighting back. Elijah sighs._

"I'll be right back,"  _he says to Elena before rushing to the fight. He pulls Damon and Jeremy apart, holding them both by their collars. He releases Damon first with a look that seems to communicate all of the horrible things that Elijah would like to do. Including but not limited to roasting Damon over a fire until he recognizes just how dangerous it is to play with it. Damon replies with a firey look of his own before taking off into the crowd and into the night. Once Elijah is sure he's gone, he lets go of Jeremy._

 _Jeremy brushes at his dark sweatshirt._ "I didn't need your help."

"It seems to me you did."

 _Jeremy rolls his eyes._  "I didn't. Just go back to stalking Elena and leave me alone. You might be dating her or whatever, but that doesn't make you family." _Jeremy's phone rings, and he pushes his way passed Elijah. The people part for him as he goes. Elijah nearly follows, but Elena finally finds him. She watches her brother's retreating form curiously._

 _She asks,_ "What was that all about?"

_He shakes his head. Some conversations are best left unmentioned._

_..._

_Jeremy stands outside of the busted up boarding house with a frown on his face. He glances back down at his phone. He brushes his finger over the call button. Maybe-_

"J!"

_He looks up, eyes catching Vicki's in the doorway. She bounces at the sight of him, her hair falling as perfectly as ever. She's fine. He rushes to her, stowing his phone as he goes._

"God, Vick, you've had everyone so worried. What are you doing here?"

 _Vicki stills for the briefest of seconds, but Jeremy doesn't notice. She says,_ "I'm getting help, but the second I can, I'm getting out of here. I've got to go, J, somewhere better. And I want you to come with me."

"Where? And help with what?"

 _Vicki gets closer, hands roaming down his arms._ "I don't feel like talking anymore. Do you?"

 _Jeremy shakes his head. His hands find her hair, and he pulls her to him. When their lips meet, she sighs. She's like on fire, practically attacking his face, she's so in to it. And then her teeth nick his bottom lip. He pulls back, a mumbled_ "ow" _on his tongue, but she's got his lip in between the two of hers in an instant. The thin drop of blood that she drew is gone. So she draws more, bites a little harder. Jeremy tries to pull back, and she lets him. He's in the process of telling her to calm down when her teeth find his neck. He screams, loud and sharp, but no one is there to hear him, to help him. She moans and burrows her teeth deeper into him. He continues to scream as best as he can when his air supply is being cut off, when his mind is starting to feel hazy, when he can't... can't... anything. And just as it seems the whole world is fading away, it stops. The biting, the sucking, the moaning - it all stops, just as Vicki's heart does._

_Vicki stumbles back, the sharp edge of a wooden stake visible through the front of her shirt as blood drips down the edges of it. She mumbles something before she hits the ground. Jeremy doesn't catch what. He's too busy holding onto his neck and staring at the person who did this. It's not Stefan, or Damon, or even Elijah; it's Sheriff Forbes._

_Liz stands there, her fingers still wrapped around the stake that's not there anymore. Damon's a bit behind her, a shadow in the doorway, an ever present pain in the ass that's somehow managed to finally get through. Liz moves in towards Vicki's body, and a gasp escapes her lips._

"Vicki Donavan?"  _Liz looks back at Damon._ "She's the vampire? Why didn't you tell me -"

 _Damon says,_ "It was better this way. We couldn't have your emotions getting in the way, Liz."

 _Liz glares, but she must agree because she stands up tall, her sheriff face firmly back in place. She tells Damon to get Jeremy out of there. Damon picks Jeremy up by his collar and nearly drags the boy out of the room. They only get down the steps before they bump into Stefan. He's got his angry vamp face on, the one that's flushed with blood despite him being dead and far too righteous for someone who has such a dark past himself. He demands,_ "What did you do?"

 _Damon just says,_ "Problem solved, brother. You can thank Elijah for that."

_Stefan rushes up the stairs, and his gasp at the sight in front of him blurs with Elijah's back at the carnival. Elijah closes his eyes tightly in an attempt to block out what he's just heard, but the voices don't go away. He hears Stefan and Liz talking all the way until Elena forces his eyes to meet hers._

_She asks him,_ "What's wrong?"

 _He wonders what to say. That her brother was nearly killed while he listened on. That another girl is dead because of Damon Salvatore. That his plan to help only made everything worse. He sighs._ "I should get you home. Jeremy will be there soon, and you'll want to be there."

_Elena doesn't voice her questions, but he hears them anyway. The loudest of which being: what has he done?_

_..._

_Elijah and Elena get back to the Gilbert house just as Damon and Jeremy do. Damon passes the softly crying Jeremy off and turns away. He stops next to Elijah to say,_ "Everything that happened tonight is your fault, Eli. Choke on it."

_Elijah forces himself not to respond to the taunt. He allows Damon to leave and focuses instead on the scene before him. Jeremy and Elena are huddled on the porch. Jeremy's crying is louder, stronger, and it almost drowns out the sound of Elena whispering promises and wishes that amounted to nothing but pain._

_..._

_Elena closes the door to Jeremy's room behind her. He's finally asleep, but he won't stay that way for long. Elijah leans against the wall across from her. For a moment, no words are exchanged. Elena says,_ "Ididn't want him to ever have to deal with this again. He told me that after our parents died, he felt like nothing mattered, and that the only time anything did was when he was with Vicki. With her gone, Jeremy might not come back."  _Elena sniffles. Elijah makes a move forward, but she shakes her head._  "I can't lose my brother over this."

 _Elijah says,_ "I can talk to Jeremy, help him through this."

 _Elena says,_ "Youcan do more than talk. You can help Jeremy forget."  _Elijah starts to protest but Elena goes on,_ "Jeremy isn't on vervain and doesn't have to forget absolutely everything. He can remember that Vicki called him, that Vicki wanted to leave town, and then he can just remember getting home; maybe he was high; it's a blur. It's all a blur."

 _She seems so unsure, as if even her request is a question. He can't do this. Elijah warns her that compulsion is tricky, that it can lead people to do things that they don't intend._ "A blur will be a hole in his memory, Elena. He could spend his entire life searching for that piece. It could consume him, and-"

"Then fill it. Tell him Vicki left and that he's got to let her go."

 _This time she sounds more sure, more right. Elijah warns her again that there are other options, but she tells him that there aren't. So he goes upstairs and compels. He tells Jeremy,_ "Vicki called you after your fight with Damon. You went to the boarding house, and she wanted to run away. She wanted you to go with her, but you can't go. This is your home and she... She's not. She's not your happiness, Jeremy. You realized that and broke up. She's gone, but you're not. You have to get over her, and even though it hurts, you have to move on. You have to let go of all of your suffering."

 _Jeremy nods._  "I have to let go."  _Elijah sighs. It's done. He gets off of Jeremy's bed and makes his way out of the house. But Elena stops him with his name._

"I... I don't want to be alone, not now."

_He follows her back to her room and holds her while she cries. While she lets out everything the week has brought her. While she eventually, finally, falls asleep. He starts to move away, but Elena groans and tosses in the bed. A nightmare. He pulls her back into his arms and whispers the same things he used to say to soothe his sister's nightmares. It's nothing too elaborate, just the simple things, the little things that make the day brighter, that make all of the bad things a little bit easier to take. Slowly, Elena calms again, and she curls a little tighter into him. He keeps on going though, as his words slow to match the steady drumming of her heart and eventually just fade away._


	3. to see what you've found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me issues. I'd forgotten when I started this how much I despise exploration. That's basically how I see season one - exploration. But I made it through this chapter and hopefully you will too. Also, it's formatted like a normal story now. Sorry if that bugs you. Any mistakes you find - let me know!

Elijah awakes to the feel of lips brushing gently against his skin. First, his cheek, his forehead, and then finally, his lips. His eyelids flutter open gently. He need not jump or jerk. It's Elena. He knows it is from the smell of her in the air, from the sound of her heart, from the taste. He reacts by returning the pressure, deepening the kiss slightly. To that, Elena pulls back with a giggle.

"Good morning,"she whispers. He returns the sentiment and blinks away the last of the haze of dreams. They weren't bad dreams. That's slowly something that he's growing used to - good dreams. Good thoughts. A good life. These are the things Elena brings to him. And he loves that. Loves her.

He tells her as much with his eyes before allowing them to drift to the clock beside her bed. There are only three numbers waiting there, which is enough of a sign of her discomfort. He asks, "Why are you up so early, Elena?"

Now, her eyes retreat. Her grin does as well. "I heard Jeremy get up. He took a shower a few minutes ago and then he left. I, uh, couldn't fall back asleep." More likely, she didn't want to. She feared what she would dream about, what she would think about."I shouldn't have woken you up."

He leans forward, capturing both her gaze and her mouth momentarily. "Nonsense. If you're awake, I'm awake. Why waste even a second of this day?"

Elena gives him a look, an inquisitive one like she's trying to wrap her head around him. "Why are you so... happy?"

"Because I woke up next to you." She smiles. He smiles. He figures this is how every day should be. Regardless of what horrible things happen, they should wake up in each other's arms, content and safe. Of course, Elena is only seventeen and, no matter how much Jenna likes him, Jenna would never go for permanent sleepovers. Or any sleepovers were she actually in town.

Elena rolls up into a sitting position, asking him, "Are you always like this? All sweet and supportive? Isn't that supposed to wear off eventually?"

"If you're looking for the darker side of my personality, I'm afraid you'll be searching for a long time, Elena. You could always talk to Damon Salvatore. He's rather well acquainted with it."

He expects her to laugh, but instead her face grows stony. She says, "I'm not talking to Damon. He's the reason all of this happened. He killed all of those people. He turned Vicki, and he's the one who brought Sheriff Forbes over there to kill her. He's a monster."

Elijah interjects, "He's human. Underneath all of the bad planning and horrible actions, there's a man who's searching for something."

"Well, I hope he finds it somewhere else." Elena sighs. Her eyes turn forcibly playful. "Enough about Damon. You said you didn't want to waste a second? Then let's not waste it. Let's do something."

He considers objecting, bringing her focus back to the issue at hand. Damon will be hard to ignore when he's so hellbent on being part of Elena's life. It's best to work around him than ignore him. But why should Elijah fix that problem? And now of all times? If Elena wants to do something, then that's what they'll do. Leave the Salvatore situation for later. "Like what?"

As if on cue, Elena's phone buzzes. Elijah's does as well. Curiously, they both reach for them. There's a new text message waiting from Caroline. Their eyes meet briefly before they open the messages. They read: **Code red. Last minute party at the Grill tonight. Bring everyone you know and maybe gifts. Starts at 8 and ends when the bar runs dry. Be there or don't bother existing tomorrow. - Caroline.**

Elena laughs."Like that. Hmm, I wonder what the occasion is."

_..._

The occasion, as they later learn, is Stefan Salvatore's birthday. He doesn't know it, but the party is for him. Caroline explains to Elijah that the party is all her idea ( _"Okay, Damon, might have mentioned it, but I'm the one throwing it."_ ) to celebrate the guy she's totally in love with and to possibly get him to notice her. Which he doesn't, by the way, because he's spending the entire party with his new blonde chick ( _"Her name is Lexi. What kind of name is that anyway?_ ") _._ The whole thing gets her down, which leads to Caroline being raging drunk in a booth with a very sober, very entertained Elijah on the other side.

Caroline hiccups mid-sentence. Her eyebrows knit together quickly. Then she continues. "I thought that maybe with Elena with you that I had a chance. But nope! He went and got some other blonde bitch to spend time with. Did she throw him a party? Nope. I did. I threw him a party. And it's a great party. It's a great party, right?"

Elijah looks away from Caroline to the throbbing masses of adolescents. They seem to be having the time of their lives. He nods. He almost answers verbally, but Caroline doesn't need another person for whatever conversation she's having tonight.

She says, "Right! Like, he should know I exist. But I'm just a blip on his radar, a pimple on his face, a popcorn kernel in his extremely sharp and probably extremely sexy vampire fangs. Ugh, I wouldn't mind if he bit me a few times." Elijah's laugh is drowned out by the wistful sound that escapes her. She turns to look at Stefan. He's by the pool table, giving a short little wave to Lexi as she heads for the bar. Thus leaving him alone. Leaving him available. Caroline blurts, "I should go talk to him."

Elijah does verbally respond then. "That's not the best idea, Caroline."

"Why? Because I'm not Elena?"

"No, because you are drunk. You might say something you regret."

She shakes her head. She says, "I'm not that drunk. I have complete control over everything I'm saying."

Elijah sighs. "Perhaps we should get you home."

She shakes her head again. "I just want to talk to Stefan once first. Just once. Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with one of those little umbrellas on top?" Caroline pouts at the end of her request. She looks a lot like Rebekah in that moment. He thinks about telling her no. He hates to do it. Hates that more than he has ever hated dealing with Niklaus. And, to top it off, Caroline twirls one of those tiny umbrellas in her hand, as if it's the solution to her problems. She looks so sad. So hopeful. He sighs for a second time. She cheers.

He uses his most serious voice to say, "One minute, Caroline. One. And I'll be right beside you the entire time."

"That's fine. Let's go!"

She shoves off from the booth, nearly losing her balance in the process. She catches herself before Elijah can, even uses that as an opportunity to give him a gloating glance. He rolls his eyes; Yes, not falling on her face is a sure sign that she's sober. He follows her as she makes her way through the crowd to the pool table. Once she gets there, she freezes. Only ten steps away from where Stefan is. Stefan looks up from the stick, and his eyes meet Caroline's.

"I'm going to throw up," Caroline whispers instantly.

Elijah says, "I'll count that as part of your minute."

She turns to glare at him before taking the last ten steps to Stefan. He watches her curiously. He's a lot more laidback than Elijah has ever seen him. In fact, he almost looks... happy.

Caroline wavers, unsteadily shifting between her two feet. Stefan reaches out a hand to help her, and her breath catches in her throat. She stares down at the hand as her pulse increases. She quickly steps out of his hold, mumbling, "Happy birthday, Stefan."

Elijah mentally groans. This is what she needed to say?

Stefan smiles, and he's sincere when he says, "Thank you, Caroline."

Caroline beams. "I-I- you're welcome. I through this party, you know, because, well, since I first saw you, I've - well, I've -" Alright, that's it. Elijah can't sit by and let this continue. She can't even finish a sentence, let alone confess her undying love tonight. He steps forward, placing a hand on Caroline's shoulder.

He tells her, "Time to go." She groans and pouts, but doesn't seem to argue. Stefan does that for her.

"Hey, if Caroline wants to stay, then she gets to stay."

"She's drunk."

"I can see that. I'm actually not too comfortable with you taking her home like that," Stefan says. Elijah's eyes narrow.

He says, "I don't care what you're comfortable with."

"Well, you're not taking her."

Elijah steps in front of Caroline now. He asks, challenges, "Haven't you Salvatores had enough of this game? You can't stop me."

"No," Stefan says, pulling his jacket tighter around him, "But I can join you. I'm coming with you." He places the pool stick down and steps forward to be face to face with Elijah. "Is that a problem?"

Caroline speaks up from over Elijah's shoulder. "Not at all! Let's go. Please." On the last word, her hand finds Elijah's arm. The elder vampire calms again and steps aside, allowing for Stefan to step up to Caroline and lead the way. The blonde gleefully locks an arm of hers through Stefan's. It might be his birthday, but it seems that she's the one getting the gift. Ruefully, and a bit like a cranky chaperone, Elijah follows. All the way home.

...

It's a bit of a power struggle once they reach Caroline's house. For Stefan at least. Elijah is perfectly in control, and he knows it. He already knows how to act around Caroline. He knows the house. He knows everything. Stefan doesn't. But, like any prideful man, Stefan does not enjoy being shown up, nor does he like the thought that Elijah is more of a part of the town than Stefan is. So Stefan stays as Elijah hands Caroline pajamas and sends her off to change. He stays as Elijah tucks the blonde in. He even stays as Caroline slowly drifts off to sleep. Once she's down, though, he rises.

"Leaving so soon?" Elijah asks. "Are you so sure that I won't kill her in her sleep?"

Stefan fixes Elijah with a simple curious glance. "Will you?" It's very straight-forward. Honest.

"No." Elijah straightens his collar. "Will you?"

Stefan stands his ground. "No."

Elijah hesitates, looking at the blonde and wondering for a moment. Then, he says it without further thought. "Then perhaps you should stay. Make sure she doesn't endanger herself in the middle of the night."

Stefan's eyebrow quirks. "Why don't you?"

"Because I have other plans," Elijah says easily. Stefan's brow knits at that. Elijah ignores him. His point isn't to bristle any feathers, just keep Caroline safe and sound. And perhaps a bit happy through the hangover she'll no doubt have in the morning. "Careful, though, she gets a little snuggly in her sleep."

With that said, Elijah leaves the two alone and heads back to Elena.

...

The first thing Elena says is "How's Caroline?"

It makes Elijah smile to hear it. These girls really care about each other, no matter how snarky they can be in their alone time. He tells her, "Asleep. Thankfully. I'll check again in the morning." He shrugs off his jacket, draping it lightly along the chair near Elena's desk. "How was the rest of the party?"

Elena hesitates, mentions, "I heard something. Something weird."

He rounds to face her. "How so? Explain."

"I..." Elena glances away to the ground. She takes in a deep breath and then says, voice steady as steel, "I'd rather you just heard it yourself."

Elijah understands what she's saying. She wants him to read it, read her mind. He protests, but she takes off her ring and steps closer to him. She puts his hands on her temples and closes her eyes. With a sigh, he closes his and allows the visions from Elena's mind to enter his.

__

_Instantly, he's back in the Grill. The drunken teens are as boisterous as they were before, except they're no longer near the bar, so it's calm there. Quiet. Quiet enough where even a human like Elena can catch the conversation between Damon and Lexi._

__

_Damon lowers his glass from his lips and fixes Lexi with a look that's a mix between amusement and a warning. He says, "Yes, I have an evil, little plan that brought me home. But, sadly, it doesn't involve you, so you might want to get lost."_

__

_Lexi scoffs, brings her glass to join his as her voice hardens. "I'm not leaving until I'm sure that Stefan's safe."_

__

_"My plan won't hurt Stefan. Plus, once it's done, I'll be out of your hair for good." The smile on Damon's face as he finishes that - it's chilling. Too happy and genuine for a man so typically full of scowls. What could possibly make him so happy? If only Elijah were truly there, he could interject and find out. But he isn't. He's just watching. Watching as Lexi compromises._

__

_She says, "Give me one reason why I should go away."_

__

_Damon smirks. "Only one? Well, I'll stick with the big one then. The last thing that you want, my dear, sweet Lexi, is to meet - what did you call her? - Oh, right, the raging bitch."_

__

_And Lexi blanches, face going as pale as her whole body should be. "Katherine? How could I meet Katherine? Isn't she dead?"_

__

_Elijah's mind swirls at the thought, of both thoughts. Katerina hasn't been seen in over a century. She must be dead, and people do not get brought back from the other side. It's simply not possible. It can't be. Can it?_

__

_Damon chuckles. "Ah, ah, ah, you said one and that's up." He rises to leave, but Lexi slams Damon back into the bar. Damon laughs again, tells her, "Ease up and cool down, blondie. This town isn't very vampire friendly, and the leader of the Buffy squad is my new best friend. We wouldn't want you to wind up dead, now would we?"_

__

_Lexi glares at Damon a moment longer before letting him go. Gleefully, smugly, Damon finishes off his glass of scotch and leaves the Grill._

With Damon's exit, Elijah returns to the present. He steps back from Elena as his mind reels. How is it even possible to bring Katerina back? Katerina died in a fire, in 1864. She and all of the rest of those vampires are gone. He doesn't understand. What does Damon know, or think he knows, that the oldest vampires don't? Is it a spell? Some magical doppelganger occurrence?

"Elijah?" His head snaps up towards Elena. Her smile, her entire body is hesitant. She asks, "What's going on? What's Damon talking about?"

He honestly has no idea, not that Elena would react very well to hearing it. He starts simply, gives her old information to try and appease her curiosity. "I do believe Damon told you about Katherine at that Founders' Party."

Elena nods. "She died in a fire, back in 1864."

Elijah nods as well, though he isn't sure anymore. "Damon wants her back, which would not be preferable. If Katerina were back, it would threaten a lot of people." It would alert Niklaus. Bring him here. Hurt everyone. "Especially you, Elena."

Elena stares at him. "Me? Why me? What does any of that have to do with me?" Elijah sighs internally. He's not prepared to have this conversation. Neither is she. She gasps, her eyes narrowing as she focuses on something. "Stefan's friend, Lexi, she talked to me and she said 'you look just like her.' Did she mean Katherine? Do I look like Katherine?"

"Yes." He chortles lightly. "In fact, that is an understatement. You and Katerina are identical, Elena." Her eyes pale. He adds, "I know that might confuse you, but it can all be explained. Katerina is a Petrova, a special bloodline that was used to create the very first family of vampires, a bloodline that you descend from."

Elena shakes her head. "This - this is way too much. No, I don't descend from a vampire. You said that vampires don't reproduce!"

"I said that but Katerina -"

"Why do you call her that? Katherine. Her name was Katherine."

Again, Elijah sighs. She's getting worked up. Her heart is racing, much higher than it should be. He says, "Alright. Katherine. Fine. Listen, I will explain everything, but you need to calm down first. You're about to send yourself into a panic attack."

Elena scoffs. "Yeah, maybe because I'm panicking! I-I can't do this." She grabs his jacket off the chair and holds it out to him.

"Elena-"

She shakes her head. "Elijah, please, it's too much. I know I asked, but it's just too much."

A bitter part of him reminds him that this is why he does not entertain humans. They grow overworked too quickly, crumble with the slightest of information. Yes, this is life-changing to learn, but what relevance does it have if Katerina is never even brought back? None. Elena can go on living as ignorant and blissful as before. Fine. If she wants him to leave, he will, and he'll go pay Damon yet another visit.

He takes his jacket and also picks her ring up from where she dropped it. He places it into her palm with a kiss. Elena merely looks forward.

He walks to the window. Hesitates. And then-

"Did you love her? Katherine - Katerina - did you love her?"

He did. For a time. Very briefly. He managed to convince himself that it was not love, simply by avoiding her as much as he could. Still, in hindsight, he did love her. Just "not as I love you, Elena. Until next time."


End file.
